


Worth What You Paid For It

by Dragonflies_and_Katydids



Series: Krem Story Time [3]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Con Artists, Gen, Leadership, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-28
Updated: 2016-01-28
Packaged: 2018-05-16 20:28:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5839909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonflies_and_Katydids/pseuds/Dragonflies_and_Katydids
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Chargers take a job for a Ferelden bann. It doesn't go the way any of them expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worth What You Paid For It

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt for this story was, "Krem's first time in charge of the Chargers." Because I'm obnoxious, I really wanted to tag this "first time." Because I'm not a complete pain in the ass, I didn't. :)

The Tevinter is shorter than he expected for a mercenary company's second-in-command, though he's certainly got a mercenary's breadth of shoulder. He's also unexpectedly anxious, his eyes jumping around as he's led into the study and his fingers drumming lightly against the hilt of his sword.

Still, he does a passable bow as he comes to a stop in front of the desk, and his voice is steady when he says, "Bann Edwin."

Edwin looks him over again, a new plan beginning to form. He hadn't wanted to hire mercenaries in the first place, but his soldiers are poorly equipped to deal with a large group of bandits, and better that someone else should bleed. Isn't that what mercenaries are for, after all?

The money has been the problem, though, because mercenaries are never cheap. But if he can get his property back for free...

"You would be Cremisius Aclassi?" Edwin asks, mostly for form's sake. A Tevinter name, and here he has a Tevinter mercenary.

The young man nods, a short, sharp jerk of his chin. "The Chief said you were looking to hire the Chargers. Sent me to talk it over with you."

"Is your...chief not available, then?"

"He's got business elsewhere, but the Chargers can do what you need." He licks his lips, a little nervously, then seems to realize what he's done and presses his mouth into a firm line.

Edwin's heart begins to beat a little faster. Could he really be this lucky? "And have you been with the Chargers long?" he asks solicitously.

"A little while," Cremisius says evasively, and Edwin barely manages not to smile. Truly, the Maker is good to him.

"Excellent," he says, as if he hasn't noticed all the little tells that indicate the mercenary's lack of experience. "Then let us move on to business, shall we? I'm sure there's no need to waste your time on idle chatter."

"I'm always interested in talking business," Cremisius says, his armor jingling as he shifts his shoulders. "The Chief said you had a problem with bandits?"

"Yes, unfortunately." Edwin finds the map and slides it across the desk to the mercenary, who picks it up and squints at it thoughtfully as Edwin continues. "We believe we've located their main camp, but there are too many of them for my soldiers to deal with. I'm told the Chargers have experience with this sort of thing?"

"We do," Cremisius says absently, still studying the map. "Though shouldn't the teyrn be helping with this?"

Edwin turns his hands palm up. "The Blight and the Landsmeet have the teyrn a little...distracted at the moment. And I would rather not wait for the bandits to grow bolder."

The mercenary nods, his attention clearly elsewhere. "If you know the location of their camp, do you have any idea about fortifications or the like? Their numbers? Number actually bearing arms?"

So he's not completely inexperienced then. A military man, perhaps, disgraced or simply tired of the army, and now determined to make his way as a mercenary? Not really Edwin's concern, except that it gives him some hope he might recover his property after all, and perhaps without having to pay too much. A standing army doesn't teach its soldiers _everything_ a mercenary needs to know.

"I'll have my captain of the guard provide you with everything we know about the bandits. Kill or capture them, it makes no difference to me. Any you capture will likely hang, unless the Grey Wardens want to claim them." Edwin tries not to let his lip curl. "Though that's rather unlikely."

Cremisius is nodding along, his eyes on the map. He's been staring at it so long, Edwin wonders if he can read. "We can clear them out, one way or another. Bring the survivors back to you here?"

"If there are any," Edwin says. He almost hopes there aren't. Executions are not something he looks forward to, however necessary they might be. "And one other thing."

"One other thing?" the mercenary asks, looking up at last.

"There's a chest, that was being carried by one of the merchant caravans the bandits took. My captain can give you a description, but it contains books and papers that have some value to me. Sentimental value, but if they haven't already been reduced to kindling, I'd very much like them back intact. Anything else you find in their camp is yours to keep, except that."

"I think we can manage that." He glances at the map one last time, a small frown between his eyebrows, then offers it back. "Clear out your bandits, bring you back the chest. Shouldn't take more than a few days, I would think. Four, at the most. If there's nothing else?"

Edwin almost chokes on his tongue. Has this man even been a mercenary a week? "I've nothing else," he says cautiously. "My captain will meet you outside."

He gets a short nod, then the mercenary turns on his heel and shows himself out.

Without ever once discussing payment, or requesting his coin up front.

For a second, Edwin feels almost guilty, but then he shakes himself. It's not his job to teach mercenaries their business. He's providing a valuable lesson, to a young man who clearly needs it. That he happens to also be getting his bandit problem solved for free is but a happy coincidence.

###

It takes them less than three days, and Edwin has to admit he's impressed. Cremisius is back in his study before supper time on the third day, along with a stocky dwarf carrying a chest Edwin recognizes very well.

He doesn't bother to hide his smile as he directs the dwarf to set it down beside his desk. The chest is even still locked, and he lets out a small sigh of relief. The contents would be ruinously expensive to replace, even if the average bandit--or mercenary--wouldn't recognize how valuable they are. He's wasted more than a few sleepless nights, picturing priceless manuscripts consigned to some outlaw's cooking fire.

"Wonderful," Edwin says, putting his hand on top of the chest. "Did you have any troubles?"

"Nothing we couldn't handle," Cremisius says. His eyes go to the guards standing behind the desk and on either side of the door, guards who weren't there before, and Edwin can see his brain working, too late.

"And was there anything else?" Edwin asks, taking his seat at the desk once more.

"Besides our payment?" the mercenary asks, eyes narrowing very slightly.

Edwin meets his eyes, pulling all his authority as a bann around him. "I discussed this with your leader in our letters, when I hired the Chargers. He said that as he hadn't previously done much business in Ferelden, he might do this job for nothing, in exchange for my recommendation on other jobs."

The dwarf twitches, like he started to turn and stare at Cremisius before he caught himself. For his part, Cremisius is trying to stare Edwin down, his face thunderous. "We're mercenaries, Bann Edwin. We fight for money. It's what we do."

"Then in the future," Edwin says quietly, "I suggest you settle the matter of payment before you agree to a job."

He can read the thoughts off the mercenary's face, as his eyes go to the guards once more. With four against two, he isn't guaranteed victory if he tries to force the issue, and even if he were successful, the murder of a bann will do nothing for the Chargers' reputation. And a company like the Chargers values its reputation highly.

The mercenary's chin comes up, and he turns on his heel without another word. The dwarf follows, only to pause in the doorway for one last look back. His expression is hard to read, but he looks almost amused, and Edwin wonders briefly if Cremisius is the sort of commander whose soldiers like to see him taken down a peg.

Something else the young man should learn how to handle, but that's no more Edwin's problem than any of the others. Well pleased with himself, he goes looking for the key to the chest so he can finally enjoy his books.

###

Krem spits on the ground outside the bann's gate but keeps going, Rocky at his heels.

"Asshole," Rocky mutters, but he sounds like he's laughing.

"Watch it," Krem warns him, looking straight ahead.

"Sorry."

Neither of them says anything else until they've reached the inn where the rest of the Chargers are geared up and waiting for them.

"Horns up!" Krem calls, as soon as he's close enough, and the whole lot of them head out of town at a quick march.

Le the bann think they're storming off in a fit of temper. The most important thing now is getting far enough away before the bann gets that chest open. It will take him a little while, after what Rocky did to the lock, but there's no point in wasting time.

Dalish drops back to walk beside him, hefting a bulging satchel. "Since I've still got these, I guess he was as much of an asshole as you thought?"

"Every bit," Krem says. He'd spit again, except he'd risk hitting someone.

"Smile," Dalish says, tapping him on the ass with her "bow."

"I hate dealing with assholes," Krem says.

"Who doesn't?" she asks. "But we won, so who cares?"

Krem glances at the satchel and smiles. "Good thing you knew what those books are, I guess."

"That's why you keep me around."

"I thought it was for your amazing archery skills?" Krem asks, feeling lighter as the town falls away behind them.

"Well, of course those, too," she says seriously. Then she bumps her shoulder against his and grins. "Not bad for your first time. The Chief couldn't've done better."

And that's about the best words Krem's heard all day.

**Author's Note:**

> Also because I'm obnoxious, I really wanted to tag this "cheating."


End file.
